


Time Trapped

by ShawnMorgan



Category: Doctor Who
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-05
Updated: 2015-09-05
Packaged: 2018-04-19 05:58:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4735109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShawnMorgan/pseuds/ShawnMorgan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What Happened when that blue beam hit Missy?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Time Trapped

Time Trapped

Re-Adapted from MIssy fit.

 

AN: I decided to redo this in a far more serious way. Some things, even some dialogue can and did remain the same.

 

Chapter One: Captured

 

Blue light pulsed around her and she deflated as she realised that the Doctor hadn't actually fired the lethal shot. She was in two minds about that. As much as she wanted to live, Missy had decided that the Doctor actually firing the device in and of itself would have been a victory. Oh well, maybe next time.

She woke up and was surprised that she felt no pain. Nonetheless she cursed expertly, she had so very nearly had him. It had shown in the doctor's eyes that he was falling to her manipulation. Once he admitted how right she was and that they were basically the same, their friendship could be renewed. But oh no, another sanctimonious self sacrificing soldier type had thwarted her.

She rolled her eyes and considered how well Danny Pink would have fitted right in with UNIT. It was like having that uniformed cretin, the Brigadier regenerate. Had she known who it was that shot her with the teleport containment bolt, her screams would have been heard on Gallifrey one universe over. She briefly wondered why the doctor had grown up disliking toy soldiers and then gone and collected so many.

“And then after collecting a full, set goes an spurns mine as a gift!” she muttered, “and they break so easily too. Men!”

“Tell me about it.” Responded a voice, rich with an American drawl.

She froze for there was mistaking that voice, especially recognising that voice immediately. She had after all tortured its owner for over year. But then again, she also hadn’t; paradox was strange like that. 

 

“Hello, the man said “Captain Jack Harkness at your service.”

* * *

Kate Stewart propped herself up but didn't try to rise any further as she was still groggy and confused. Her training kicked in though and she took stock of her surroundings. She looked up to the heavens and her recent memories flooded back. She’d fallen from the plane and then... her father had risen from the grave, wearing shining armour and flown to her rescue shortly before coming to the aid of the mad, wonderful, alien scientist, that they were both allied with.

She shook her head at the ridiculous thought, then recalled that the scientist was 'The Doctor' and considering anything around him to be ridiculous was well, ridiculous. His mere presence seemed to guarantee such events.

Kate looked up at the sky, then over at the Doctor. She opened her mouth to say something but saw the sad look in his eyes as he guarded Clara Oswald and she decided to remain quiet. She watched on as he guided her home and she watched the TARDIS dematerialise even as UNIT soldiers took up defensive positions around her, having homed in on her locator signal.

She held up a hand as one of her people started to assist her up and she pointed at where compressed earth left the telltale sign of the TARDIS's presence.

“He'll be back shortly I think. There are questions on both sides.”

“Very well ma'am. We're more than willing to set up triage with you here but we are checking you over.”

“And if I say 'no'?”

“Then you can court martial me later. Besides, right now as your doctor, I outrank you. A fall from that height -”

Kate was about to say something sarcastic about doctors and orders but she was halted by a familiar wheezing and groaning sound. 

 

The Doctor scanned the area and furrowed his brow, an act with his current eyebrows made him look like he'd start drilling for victory. Then he strode over to her and knelt down. Completely ignoring the medical professional next to her (which amused her slightly) and all his protests, he foraged in his pockets and snapped out the sonic screwdriver and whirred it around her.

“High adrenaline, shock, anger, wants to find and annihilate Missy. The findings are conclusive.”

“That she's a Lethbridge-Stewart?” said the field medic beside him

The Doctor smiled at the UNIT doctor. “I think I actually like you. Kate, can you walk now?”

She nodded and rose slowly and carefully, first she studied the sky, the wonderful blue clear sky. She thought carefully and then asked the same question her father had asked after any engagement.

“Who did we lose? I know it's pointless to hope you're going to say 'no one' but I'm going to anyway.”

The Doctor studied her closely and in that moment his affection and admiration of her family leapt. He really wished he had better news. His adopted thick Scottish burr carried his words so easily. “We lost Osgood. I'm sorry, Missy murdered her.”

Kate leaned back on a gravestone and sighed with grief. “It feels like a light has gone out on this planet.” She wanted to cry but there was a time and place for that and this was not it.

“There be hope for her yet, I detected-”

“Don't. And don't tell me you don't understand what I mean. We both know what you're trying to do here and whilst appreciated, it won't work.” She held his gaze and the Doctor bowed his head, forced by reality to accept her words.

“I am truly Sorry.”

“Don't be sorry for trying to find hope.” Kate held his gaze and thought what to say next. Then it occurred to her that her father's words of wisdom seemed appropriate.  
“Sir Alistair saw you as such kindred spirits in many ways. Two halves of the same coin.”

“Really now.” The Doctor’s eyebrows furrowed and Kate was minded of some home movies her father had shown her of himself with a tall, elegantly dressed man. She smiled as she saw the exact same expression now. It didn’t matter whether he was short, tall, young, old, Sandshoes, Granddad or Chinny, he was always going to be him at the core.

Kate continued. “While he was stuck mourning casualties after engagements, you were remembering every loss, investigating every name and holding their names in your hearts. He was envious of that, said that if he did it in his position that it would drive him insane and that he'd have to resign.”

“He did resign.”

“Yes but in the right way, due to old age, and afterward, he went and looked up every soldier he'd lost and drank to their memory. One Drink for every soldier.””

“I never knew.”

“He took on so many burdens so others wouldn't have to. Especially you. And this is where I tell you his greatest ever regret doctor, the one burden he took knowing full well what it would cost him and how it would strain your friendship; The Silurian incident.”

The Doctor's head jerked back and Kate regarded him sadly. “My father knew that when the communications tap reached conventional avenues of power they'd order complete annihilation. He acted first.”

“Taking the impossible decision, so no one had to...” The Doctor looked up and saluted the empty sky. When he turned around Kate was smiling not entirely sadly.

“What?”

“My father left you something in his will for me to deliver to you from him when I thought it appropriate, Now seems good.”

“What is it?”

Kate stood up and held herself ramrod straight “Men and women of Unit! Atten-hut!” All of them came to attention, Kate included.

“Oh no no no no no,” said the Doctor guessing what was coming.

Kate grinned wider “Sa-lute!” everyone saluted. The Doctor groaned theatrically.

* * *

 

Captain Jack harkness held out his hand waiting for it to be shook. He wasn’t sure why this woman in front of him seemed familiar. Then again he had been here so long, under the Hub in Cardiff. the ghosts of his past assailing him daily.

This was his penance for recruiting people to his cause. To feel the deaths of everyone he had ever worked with at Torchwood. Each face blended with every other face.

“Keep your distance you unclean freak!” the apparition screeched at him.  
Yes, that was the right word for him, Unclean, for he polluted everything he touched, every person, every life. Even the best man he’d ever met had fled to the end of existence to escape him. Yes, even the Doctor had run away from his filth.

Was it any wonder then that the Spirit of Time herself had found him wanting? She was going to make him pay for every. single. mistake. He withdrew his hand. He didn’t want to contaminate this woman.

“I’m sorry. I really should have known better. With that he dropped his hand and lowered his head, shame obvious. 

Missy whimpered as it sank in who this really was. All her temporal senses flared and she backed away. She snarled as she did so and awaited his inevitable assault. Considering what she had put him through and what she had put his friends and entire race through, it could only be a matter of Time. 

Or could it? He made no moves, hostile or otherwise. Missy frowned in concentration. As much as she would like to break out her laser screwdriver and temporarily remove this scar on the face of time, she was bereft of her usual accoutrements. On top of that, it her subconscious had been analysing her surroundings since she came in and she could not locate an exit nor a means of escape.

She scowled internally whilst outside, she flashed her most charming smile. “I do apologise captain, that was unconscionably rude of me. Please may we start again?

The American blinked. The newcomer was extending her hand after all. Maybe there was hope for an end to his torment at long last. He clasped her hand… and it felt strange as for the first time in, he knew not how long, he felt the turn of time. 

Sure, he’d experienced time passing in here but it felt fresher, newer. The time in this prison he’d volunteered to be custodian of, was the same time constantly recycled. Then again, that made it such an effective containment unit.

‘U.N.I.T.’ Just thinking of the acronymic name made him smile. The sealed prison had been built to be unbreachable, inward or outward. It had needed a guardian and a power source. So he had volunteered. It meant that he could retire from humanity and keep it safe at the same time.

Missy shook her head. She was slowing down, taking her ease now. The situation, whilst still far from resolved or even exactly comfortable was… manageable. But something was off, the freak should have recognised her. Then again, she reflected, the Doctor himself had been unable to detect her.

Advantage femininity. And as always, Advantage; ME. So, we’re back to normal. I can work with that.

She curtsied “Could you please be an officer and a gentlemen and tell me where I am? It feels strange, almost as though it’s a self contained unit out of temporal phase.”

Jack frowned as he recalled that he was in a prison, something he occasionally forget. He pulled himself together and said, “It is. It’s specifically designed for prisoners who escape conventional detention, or those who when Killed in action, turn out not to have been after all. The Brigadier said as much.”

Missy blinked as she heard that hated, although a little respected, and anger invoking title. The Brigadier had chased her down at least. she closed her eyes and sat down cross legged. 

Determined but afraid, she slowed her thoughts. This would be painful, but necessity determined the action.

She didn't mind being insane. She did mind being stupid. She breathed deeply and walked away from Jack, who followed after her

“Please excuse me Captain but this lady needs some privacy.” Hopefully his sense of chivalry would allow that. That hope was swiftly dashed.

“Of course. I shall show you to your own quarters. I regret that my orders are to guard and interview any and all incomers.”

She sighed. “Very well, what do need to know?”

“Who you are and why you have been sentenced here.”

Well, deceiving this one should be easy then, she thought. ‘There is no way I am letting this freak know I’m the Master. Anyway-’

That last thought was interrupted by a strong hand grasping her by the collar and pulling in close to narrowed eyes.

“Hello again Master.”

 

 

Chapter Two: Custody

 

Missy held Jack’s gaze, mere inches away and she was off balance, both mentally and physically. Then it clicked what she should do.

“Correct captain, now be do be an officer and gentleman and unhand me.”

Jack smiled nastily and giggled. “A few things you should know first. One, I’m insane. Two, I hate you so much more than I care about my reputation. Three, I’m from the fifty-first century and you’re from that ex planet, Gallifrey. Four, I’m insane. Five, every piece of psychic training and ability I have has been honed to pick up on your most deceptive wavelength. Basically the more devious you try to be with me, the stronger you broadcast that intent. Six I hate you. Seven, I’m insane.”

She bared her teeth at him. “You mentioned you hate me twice. You also mentioned that I’m a prisoner and that means it’s a prison. And you know what I escape from on a regular basis, Freak.”

His smile widened and his eyes glinted with amusement. “Oh, don’t we just know it little lady. And that, is why they built it around me, Literally.”

“But whatever they built into you-” Her voice trailed off as she saw Jack get even smugger. 

“Nope. There’s nothing built into me. Sir Alistair and his daughter knew that if they did that, you’d find a way to re wire it whatever we did. So they made it one way.”

Missy just glared, the realisation slowly dawning on her that Jack wasn’t bluffing. “No, No way you would do that. it would mean you’d be stuck in here with me for eternity. and you loathe me almost as much as I loathe you.”

“What can I say? How about putting it your way bitch? Bananas. And these days I’m even more bananas than Villegard!” Jack spun around and punched the air. 

Missy blinked and spoke before she could centre herself. “That’s a major weapons supplier’s factory.

“Not any-more. Guess who visited right before it became famous for… Bananas?!” 

She was not remotely surprised. she shook her head.

“Anyway psycho girl, those rules of chivalry do not apply to you. You and I are far beyond the quaint little morals of the twenty-first century.” Missy went flying as he followed this with a strong right hook, slamming it across her jaw.

As Missy stumbled backward and collided with a wall, Jack closed up and lifting her by the hair slammed his head into her face. “Don’t worry, Your healing coma will fix it for you, after I’m finished!”

A snarling visage was the reaction he got to this as Missy launched a ferocious counter attack, her elbow rocking his head right back. “Did you forget something freak? I’m superior to any mere human. “

The barrage that hit Jack was as unrelenting as his own. Eventually though, no matter how strong the emotions they felt regarding each other, they ran out of energy. battered black and blue they huddle down to recover at different parts of the corridor, glaring at each other.

Jack stopped beaming and changed to positively beaming. “I heal in less than ten minutes, how long does it take you?”

Missy’s head jerked up, her eyes glinting. but in her mind she knew he had her. she had to change tack, all fighting him would achieve would be regular beatings. It wasn’t that she couldn’t endure them, it was that she would suffer less than the freak. She rose to a kneeling position and focused her mind, blocking out the pain. that would have to wait until later. Her mind emptied of all superfluous thoughts.

Forcing herself calm, she realised it was quiet in her mind. She looked around around and listened carefully. There was nothing. No telepathic signals, no drums, no radio chatter. She gripped the arm of the couch as she realised she was finally free, her mind was her own. And it terrified her.

 

 

 

Chapter Two.

Trembling she sat down, the realisation that there was no one else's commands or thoughts left in her mind. It was all her own after so very long... she had no one else to blame, no one else to fear, in her mind. Every thing from here on, was on her. All the fault, all the evil, all the schemes. She had no one else to blame. Bit by tiny bit, everything came back to her, everything she had done. She forced herself to breathe deeply, then centred herself.

With all the filters removed, it would be slow going. She smiled though, for much of the information returning from the depths of her tortured memory attacked her masculinity.

Attacking my manhood is it now? Well, that's convenient, she thought, what a shame that whoever designed this place didn't anticipate this little development. Then again, neither did I.'

She smiled. At long last, I am The Master... oops. The Mistress.

 

* * *

Gallifrey.

Usha checked his instruments again. He shrugged, curious as to what his old sparring partners would do were they here. He and They had that little renegade spark in common, unlike the usual slightly stale Time Lord aura. The scientist part of him was suspicious that this was no accident and was sure the Doctor would be of a similar mind, whilst the Master would believe it out of simple megalomania

He'd never admit it. but he did like Koschei and ‘whats-his-name’. He grinned at the latter name and realised that the Doctor's little psychic block on thinking his name was still intact, even after Millennia of use.

The Rajah (Usha prefered that title for himself) smiled as an idea for a new genetic experiment came to mind. He began the calculations but halted when he felt a necessity arise that he had already postponed as long as he could. Taking sustenance was mandatory even for a Time Lord.

He was not the only one who was taking a rest. Seated with a data pad, on one leg that was draped over the other, was the lady Romanadvoratrelundar, better addressed as ‘Romana’.

“Romana.”

“Rajah.”

“You're actually going to do this aren't you?” she asked.

“Yes I am. Unless someone comes up with an alternative. But why did you ask? You are still with me I presume?”

“As you said, we are out of options. All weapons with the exception of The Moment have been expended and SHE herself is no longer detectable. And all we need to do to take a third option is to travel the route laid out for us by a regendered insane Time Lord.” 

Romana gave him a sour look.

The Rajah returned the look. “As you noted, all our sane and conventional options have been expended. This leaves us only, unconventional and probably utterly insane ones.” The Rajah smirked.

Romana raised an eyebrow at something he'd just said, smiling slightly. “Looks like a pair of renegade Time Lords are going to try and break all the rules and cause chaos.”

“Some things seem to be a universal constant, even for Time Lords. Let us hope your skill is a match for your ego.”

“I am that skilled my dearest, I’m actually unsure which is greater.”

Romana gave him a good humoured little shake of her head. “after a statement like that, I think it might just be your ego.”

“I was smart enough to marry you .”

“Hm, maybe your intelligence is a match for your ego.”

“Just like yours.”

* * *

Missy’s mind cleared and she multi-tasked her thoughts at a speed no human nor indeed many Artificial Intelligence could match. The renowned Time Lords of Gallifrey, even the insane ones like her and probably the goody two shoes Doctor, were the stuff of legend. Even the well informed Shadow Proclamation leaders had said so. She briefly sniggered at that, for she felt that if they had competent minions instead of the Judoon Buffoons, they’d possibly amount to something.

Another simultaneous thought line was racing away with overly complicated schemes on how to embarrass and kill the Doctor and not necessarily in that order.

The final relevant thought process was one that she pretty much kept going subconsciously anyway; Factoring out escape plans and revising the contingency plans.

Jack watched on waiting for her to arrive at the single inescapable conclusion. He smiled nastily to himself; if anyone deserved to be shat on by the universe.. well come to think of it, there were so very many. But here and now the opposite number of one of the greatest men Jack Harkness had ever known was here and finally, irreversibly contained.

He was sure of it to within a millionth of a percentage point. Jack was insane though. Insane enough to volunteer for incarceration, knowing exactly who the other prisoner would be in the fullness of time. So, unlike U.N.I.T’S top people, he was already crunching numbers to try and extrapolate how the Master could escape.

No, captain Jack Harkness wasn’t worried about 999, 999.9 recurring because he was smart enough to worry about that infinitesimal point that was still missing.

 

* * *

In the Tower of London, the Doctor sat, and wisps of steam curled from his cup of tea. His hands rested briefly on the workbench in front of him before he drummed his fingers across the table. He resumed trying to work out what it was about this face he wore.

Pictures of people alive and dead, real and fictional were laid out in front of him. Caecillius in Pompeii, John Frobisher during Earth's disastrous handling of the visit from the 'Four-five-six'. 

He gave the U.N.I.T. members assigned to him dark looks. He was less than impressed with their showing from that incident. He was also fairly sure that it was then that Jack had started sliding into irretrievable madness through implacable guilt. 

The Doctor considered Jack’s impossible position and considered his own. He could have stopped it but he knew fine well that he could not afford to have done so. If the human race became dependent on him to solve every problem they faced, when he was gone, they’d be defenceless.

Not only that but unlike many alien incursions, this one had been brought about by Humanity's own darkness and it was them who needed to fight it themselves. He did however make a mental not to have words with the Four-Five-Six themselves. On their homeworld. 

He heard something and looked up. A Young woman was standing there and she had said something he had missed, he was so mired in thought.

“Could you repeat whatever it is that you just said for the benefit of the impatient alien scientist with an ego the size of a small planetoid?”

The corporal shook her head, “It doesn't matter.”

The Doctor sat up right and with a piercing gaze replied. ”Corporal. As you get to know me better, you will find that my ego always matters!” Then he switched from stern to smiling and winked at her. He turned his hands over to show the palms  
and she realised that the Doctor wished for her to continue.

“I said, I'm sorry.” The lilting South Walean tones carried easily at this range.

“What for?” Asked the Doctor, hoping for a glimmer of the UNIT style soldiers he had once known.

“Only obeying orders during that debacle.” She pointed at the picture of Frobisher and she looked ashamed.

“What should you have done Corporal?” The Doctor looked at her sternly. 

“Better sir. Somehow, someway I should have done better.”

“But that would most likely mean mean you disobey orders.”

“I have duty to do so if they're... wrong.”

The Doctor's gaze was intense as he looked at her, then he smiled. “Corporal Jones,  
I think I finally feel back at home with UNIT.”

“Sir?”

“All I needed was a new Benton. Now, what is that thing you have for me there.”

“It's a bit of a long story.” 

“It's only long for a Time Lord if they regenerate partway through it.”

 

* * *

 

Chapter Three

 

The Doctor rested his chin on his steepled fingers and looked Corporal Jones more carefully then, his neck and head turned, making the UNIT soldier think of an owl, the Doctor was fast. That, Kate nodded sharply.

“Corporal Jones,' began Kate, ' 'You were transferred here for a reason. Tell him why. On the double.”

“Yes mam.”

The Doctor's head tilted and everyone was now well aware that the man who could talk was doing something else he did so damned well. He was listening.

Corporal Jones took a breath and then commenced. “I was stationed down in the Rhondda Valley in South Wales, when an archeological dig went very wrong. Shortly after that we became stretched with an incursion event and I was left guarding the dig site whilst also watching over some irregulars.”

The Doctor nodded, he understood that with the number of times that this planet had found itself threatened, UNIT could not hope to be everywhere. “Carry on Corporal.”

The young UNIT soldier smiled at this before replying, “Sometimes, it does seem like a biography of my life would actually seem like one of those films sir.”

“I can sympathise. But please, tell me about the dig.”

“Well, I thought Torchwood would be asked to help or some off duty personnel. It was neither, instead I ended up meeting with three civilian allies accompanied by precisely one UNIT Sergeant. A Sergeant Wilson by name.”

The Doctor looked at her. “So, Corporal Jones, you and Sergeant Wilson teamed up then?” 

“Sort of and sort of not. As much as we sympathised with each other about name and rank-”

Kate Stewart stopped as soon as she said that and looked at Jones “ Oh, now I get it.”

The Corporal gave her a long suffering look and said simply. “Yes, well please lose it again quickly ma’am. With all due respect of course”

The Doctor coughed to regain her attention. “Tell me about this assignment Corporal.”

“Aye si-, I mean Doctor. We had captain Yate's granddaughter on site, as well as some woman from the twenty-second century. And a Doctor Richards, a rather charming if naive, gentleman and scholar.

The Doctor was staring at her so intently now that she almost flinched. She had to wonder what it was that had him clenching his fists.

“Sasha Yates....”

“What about her, Doctor?” Kate asked and passed him a new cup of tea and a sandwich. His first tea had cooled off and his plate was empty. The Corporal gave her a dubious look and Kate shrugged as if to say, I'll make sandwiches for anyone I feel like. Then she passed a second cup and a BMEM (Bacon Egg and More Bacon) sandwich to Rhondda.

“Sasha Yates, Corporal has been in my presence just enough to have gained some temporal runoff. A woman from the twenty-second century will have some knowledge of Time Travel and a few alterations making such journeys easier. Kate Lethbridge Stewart, I believe you were about to do some explaining?”

“”I don’t think so, no.”

“Wrong.”

 

* * *

 

Jack continued scrutinising Missy, his own mind racing. His charge knew who he was and would be undoubtedly factoring in how this new information could be used to aid her in escape attempts.

She smiled at him, mock sweetness all over her face, easily readable. “You know who I am and you know how this will happen so

Jack sneered at her, partially hoping to throw her off for as long as he could. 

“You don't get it do you? That’s what Torchwood was for. To do the things the doctor won't or simply can't do. To cross those lines in his place. Lethbridge Stewart proved there was a place for that.

“Ugh.” Missy's face twisted into a scowl as she voiced her heartfelt irritation at that man. “That meddling old fart. He never could catch me.”

Jack blinked and then he frowned. Then he smiled. “Maybe not, but all that experience he gained chasing you, he passed on to his scientist daughter, who designed this place. Congratulations on being caught by a rather unique father-daughter-Lethbridge-Steward team up. I’m sure I already mentioned that…”

‘I suppose that in a way, it’s good thing you turned the Brigadier into a Cyberman. If you hadn’t, he could never have flown to rescue his daughter from that plane… You brought one back from the dead to save the other from certain death, which allowed the latter to build this cage for you. I’m going to be laughing for as long as you’re captive here.”

Missy glared, her hatred and fury mounting. The worst part of it was that the insufferable freak was completely right. 

* * *

Gallifrey. 

Usha travelled the halls of the capitol, Romana striding along side him, heading for the Tardis bay. Force fields raised as they went, blocking the guards dispatched to stop them. They had made an appointment to see the Keeper but halfway through Usha had grabbed Romana's wrist and pulled her into a corner.

She eyed him with irritation.

As Usha let go Romana flexed her wrist. “Look if you have a secret plan why not simply mind transfer it. This little display makes it look like you want to ravish me.”

“Anyone who grabs anyone for that purpose like I grabbed you is an evolutionary dead end. If you 'just grab them', you deserve a knee in the crotch or a brick in the head.”

“Your opinion of people that do is every bit as low as it should be, right?” 

“Very. Now in answer to your query, The High Council is snooping on High Command and vice versa. Guess which mode of information exchange is most compromised right now?”

“I See.”

“So I'm stealing one of the Doctor's plans. I am also making sure you're paying full attention.”

“By stressing the Doctor's preferred title without rancor.”

“Good,you are paying attention. I haven't been smelting unused and damaged TARDIS parts, I've been storing them and rigging as many of them as possible for a stationary, tempo-lateral-non-departing escape.”

“Whatever that means.”

“Oh, there's science behind it alright. I just thought I'd indulge in some egocentric techno-babble."

"Trying to make me feel like it's old times hm?"

Usha's expression seemed neutral, unless you were fast enough to see the humorous glint in the eyes. Romana was fast enough.

 

* * *

 

“So, according to Doctor Richards and Miss Yates, that's about when the Vardans turned up...”

“Where had they come from?” asked the Doctor.

“Apparently they had been defeated by the 'intellectual might of the Sontaran empire', and had decided to um, politely invade Earth... I think Doctor Richards called them a ‘better class of invader’.”

The Doctor rubbed his head. Listening to the Corporal (Rhondda) tell her story hurt his head. So far he'd heard about professor 'Restram Wen', and Once Rhondda had mentioned the four auxiliaries had been bribed to test out UNIT's newly 'restored' Temporal manipulator and were last seen bouncing along the Doctor's own Timeline, he knew that things had gotten awkward.

* * *

 

Missy was angry again and she snarled at captain Jack harkness who returned the favour. After a minute of angry looks, Missy deflated. “Alright, I concede. I’m trapped. What next?”

Jack’s eyes narrowed and he smiled. “I don’t know what your plan is bitch, but I’m not falling for it.”

“I. Don’t. Have. A. Plan.” she said and then after brief pause added. “Freak.”

“So that’s you current scheme is…” 

She creamed at him then. “I don’t have one, you temporal disease!”

“Strange how I point blank refuse to believe that.”

“If I had one would i’d be bloody well using it not standing here arguing with an inescapable piece of festering temporal garbage like you!”

“Now I believe you. Welcome to the last prison.” 

* * *

 

“What is it, Rajah?”

“My upgraded TADIS, stripped down into little belt pouches over two hundred years and then rebuilt and reconfigured here.”

“Which means we get a serious temporal jump start due to a combination of external factors.

“All of which are being linked via my genius.”

“Well yes, Rajah, but I thought your genius was a foregone conclusion.”

The Rajah smiled, genuinely content with Romana Six's company. She'd been quite sensible with her incarnations it seemed. He'd checked the record about them and it showed her progress. She had gone from being a stagnant aristocratic fool that represented the Time Lords so well once upon a time, to a renegade do-gooder traveller, followed by a hard bitten President that advised her future self, the General.

She had been crossing her own time stream in defense of Gallifrey; a trick she had picked up from the Doctor. For her seventh (and current) incarnation, she'd gone for a mix of as much as the good stuff from her previous selves that she could retain, including a somewhat neutral scientific nature.

And for some reason she had developed the ability to double her thinking speed if she ate some sugary confection that seemed almost people shaped. The Rajah had no idea what they were but was sure it was somehow caused through her association with the Doctor. She had offered to explain why but he had declined the offer. The reason would either be so brilliant he’d be furious he missed it, or so stupid yet logically workable he’d feel stupid that way. 

The Rajah shook his head. It was a curiosity the way Romana had affected his thinking. He found himself changing and crossing less moral boundaries, mostly to simply stop people interfering. Romana had never prevented him from crossing those boundaries in her current incarnation though. If he crossed them, he crossed them, but he did note that she always challenged him. He smiled, for he knew that her little ploy was to get him to see being successful morally as the greater challenge and relying on his own ego to do the rest. And it was working.

“So, You see my dear, when we take off, the Moment of Time we are preserved within will react like water, which if you hit it too hard, you shatter against. But if you hit it just like a diver hits it, it parts briefly then closes in behind you.”

He paused and tapped his chin, “There are of course consequences such as a reverberation throughout time itself and anyone who is temporally aware will know that something has happened, and the more aware they are...”

Romana nodded, “..The more they understand what has happened. I see, well then, the faster and smoother we make this happen, the better.”

“And if we can’t make it that way for everyone, then what?”

“Our Priority is escape. Then we stabilise and adapt plans.”

“Planning for the unknown and without salient information is the art of a madman.”

“Although some madman are so good at it, it is as though they have taken madness so far round that is has become practically super genius.”

“My dear, I suspect you are most probably referencing the two biggest rogues Gallifrey ever produced.”

“A truly logical extrapolation.”

*

Less than five minutes later, alarms were blaring across the capitol as an illegal launch was detected and a strange looking TARDIS spun at speed and in a crazy seeming angle towards the only crack in the temporal bubble that the Doctor had stored Gallifrey in.

The Keeper of the matrix looked on and prevented any military intervention. she smiled and began her final regeneration sequence. But instead of renewing herself she let it form a shield around The escaping TARDIS and the buffer was enough. The shield she’d erected to stop Capitol security collapsed but it was pointless, she had already released her own mortality to the matrix. Now she could finally rest. 

The Rajah grunted as he held his TARDIS on course even as he felt the waves of time part and reform around him as they readied themselves for re entry to the normal space Time continuum.

“Brace yourself!” This was going to be painful.

 

* * *

 

MIssy sighed. As detestable as it was, she had to talk to the freak.“Okay freak, we can't stand each other and killing each other is a complete waste of effort, so let's just mark out territory like you did here. “

“Why would I bother doing anything to accommodate you?” Jack replied with obvious venom.

“Because you know that is how he would want it. and you’re his good little guard dog for earth aren’t you?”

“He’ll never know.”

“I’ll tell him when I escape. I’ll send him a message and when he inevitably asks you, he’ll be so angry at you. And even if he doesn’t ask you, your own guilt at knowing he would be angry at you would betray you.”

Jack stared at her. she had him banged-to-rights. Even worse was that the growing smile on her face, she knew it. He braced himself.

“Your team was Torchwood wasn’t it? Named in honour of the Doctor? To defend and capture things, and beings to safeguard the Human race. it didn’t end very well did it?”

“Leave them out of this.”

“That’s easy, attack me, brutalise me, after all, we both know those rules of chivalry are a quaint little anachronism of Earth and its current era.”

Jack stepped towards her, fully intent on taking up that violent invitation. But when she extended one finger, he halted. 

She continued. “But know this captain, that is what Rassilon did to me for centuries. The Doctor knows that. How will he feel about you doing the same?”

“He’ll feel bad and be angry at me. but guess what, I think you need to die now more than ever and as I said earlier, I stand here to do what the Doctor can’t do, taking every hit on his behalf. I take his on behalf of Earth too.

He strode forwards, a maniacal glint in his eye. “I murdered my own grandson to save my world!”

Missy stood exactly where she was and spoke. “Then you of all people freak should understand exactly why someone is made into a weapon to protect their home world and their people.”

Jack Harkness gritted his teeth: She had him and they both knew it.

 

* * *

The Doctor looked up at Corporal Jones. “So tell me then young lady, what will happen when they return to normal space time?”

“Well, apparently, according to our advisors, it’s like diving into water, you have to hit it right or it hurts. It’s like diving and causing a wave to form which then dissipates as it travels.The only problem would occur if someone did the same thing at the same, well, time.”

“Because if that were to happen, then the waves would rebound off each other and there would be the equivalent of temporal flooding.” The Doctor added

Kate Stewart looked at him, but what would that mean?”

He gave her an exasperated look.“Well temporal containment units could be compromised, Fixed points would actually be slightly rewritable.”

Kate stared at him and then cursed. “Oh hell...”

* * *

The stricken fleeing TARDIS had a hole in the side and the emergency shields had locked down. She was already regenerating and the holes were closing but so very slowly. But the atmosphere was pouring out and her passengers were on borrowed time. Romana’s grip was tight as she held on by her fingertips by the narrowest possible margin having being flung almost clear. 

“Usha! I can’t hang on!”

“Yes you can. Long enough for me to reach you!” Usha was inching toward her, straining against the oncoming wind as he crawled towards her

“We won’t make it, but if I let go maybe you can.”

“If you believed that, you would already have let go.”

“She has to close that hole!” Romana looked down past her feet.

Then she realised that she was over water. They’d arrived at the right planet and they were over the Pacific Ocean. Romana stared at her partner and smiled. Then she let go.

Lady Romanavatrelundar of Gallifrey, Time Lord, President, General, Scientist. She thought her way through all those titles and smiled. One fit her better than any other. The Doctor, being a rather hurried fellow had decided her full name and title was too much of a mouthful and had simply called her ‘Romana’.

*

The Rajah watched the women he loved plummet. He knew he loved her as much as he had tried to resist. It had taken a little bit of time to accept it but the evidence was undeniable. He had fallen deeply in love.

Romana had her hands out in front of her and was multitasking. One thought was about how fast she was. The next was about terminal velocity and how badly it affected humans. Then she hit the water.

Her next thought upon surfacing was about how much more resilient Gallifreyans were: And Time Lords were enhanced Gallifreyans.

* * *

Jack harkness was helpless: The second temporal wave had crashed through into the main universe and Missy was gratified to see that her words had hit the mark and done the required damage.

Even now, her telepathic calling was sending. This was the last gasp for freedom that she had. She was, as with so many times before, down to one final throw of the dice. She gritted her teeth and hoped that as so many times before, they were the ones she herself had loaded.

Jack was close but he was frowning, seemingly deep in thought. He gave her occasional glances but stayed clear

She simply sent out a telepathic call to any Time Lord that would help her escape. knowing full well that no one but herself would do so. 

That was when the feedback from the vortex met the Temporal paradox that was the fleeing TARDIS with Romana and the Rajah aboard. It careened off the Temporal paradox that was Captain Jack Harkness himself. The call echoed through Time and Space. The UNIT irregulars trapped in the Doctor’s timeline hit the paradox too and it rebounded, even stronger.

Missy’s eyes widened and her laugh was one of victory. If you wanted a job doing properly who could she call upon? It all made sense to her now.

He sported a medium sized beard, quite distinguished, of the kind a university professor might grow. He looked up and heard the call, thinking back to recently when Omega had threatened Gallifrey, and he realised who was calling. The Master departs.

Feline teeth, and a sinister yet somehow charming chuckle. That little laugh is employed now for though his old rival has left and taken that annoying girl with the baseball bat away, and left him to his fate. But Once again unforeseen, he has an escape route. The Master departs.

“Get out of my way.” Rassilon is there, his tormentor. The lord of Gallifrey has even stumped the Doctor and has him at wit’s end. He can see the Doctor is going to fire. It’s his only option. This would be acceptable, but only from him. He’s going to stop Rassilon and help his friend (he misses him) as no one does that to the Doctor but him and he has a bone to pick with Rassilon himself. He dives through. content as long as he takes the smug bastard with him. Inescapable, but then he feels the pull of the call and the lifeline is sent. He’ll have to come back he knows, but this allows him to set up for his true escape later.

He’s trapped now , Rassilon has him prisoner, and there’s no way out… But she’d prepared for that, after, but before this time. Only to a Time Lord can think in contradictory temporal senses and understand that.

She looked around. Then readjusted her hat. She didn’t have much work left to do now. The gap between herself and the Doctor was narrowing.

 

 

 

Epilogue

Jack looked at the empty space Missy had occupied and sighed. She’d escaped again. This wasn’t exactly surprising. What did surprise him was when Owen Harper walked round the corner talking with Ianto Jones. Both looked confused. A phone rang. It was Owen’s. He answered Toshiko Jones.

“Yeah, I know, back from the dead and all that, Tea boy’s here with me too.” Owen just smiled and a different but familiar voice sounded

“Owen...”

”Ianto?”

“Jack?

“I've got to go Tosh, the raging woofters are at it again. I gotta break out the crowbar.” Owen, being good naturedly obnoxious. 

“I’m home. I’m finally home.” And every atom of Jack Harkness embraced Ianto.

Time can be rewritten: Nothing is fixed.


End file.
